POLITYKA NARODOWOŚCIOWA WŁADZ WOBEC UKRAIŃSKIEJ MNIEJSZOŚCI NARODOWEJ W WOJEWÓDZTWIE LUBELSKIM (LIPIEC 1944 R. – MARZEC 1947 R.)
The Policy of the Authorities in the Lublin Province regarding the Ukrainian National Minority (July 1944 – March 1947)

Summary/Abstract: The establishing of Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego (PKWN – Polish Committee of National Liberation) and assuming power by the Committee made it possible to implement a socio-political programme that had been based on a Manifesto of 22 July 1944. Aiming at a radical change of the nationality structure in Poland, on 9 September 1944, PKWN signed an agreement with the USSR that pertained an exchange of population. On this basis fast resettlement of Ukrainians inhabiting Poland, including the Lublin province, was to be executed. However, the prolonging resettlement process forced the authorities to implement a specific „national” policy in the area of political, economic, religious and educational relations. The attitude and activities undertaken by Organizacja Ukraińskich Nacjonalistów (Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists) exerted a considerable influence on the authorities’ decision to first suspend the resettlement process and then to use force to execute it. The resettlement could not be hastened even by periodically intensifying anti-Ukrainian demonstrations by the Polish nationalist military resistance movement (e.g. 5 June 1945 in Wierzchowiny). The mutual attacks launched by the Polish and Ukrainian anti-communist resistance were curbed when the Lublin province unit of NSZ was dissolved and local agreements were concluded. Voluntarily or forced by the authorities, about 195 thousand Ukrainians left the Lublin province. Their resettlement was supported by political parties licensed by Polska Partia Robotnicza (Polish Workers’ Party), such as Polska Partia Socjalistyczna (Polish Socialist Party), Stronnictwo Ludowe (Peasant Party), Stronnictwo Demokratyczne (Democratic Alliance) as well as by legitimate opposition (Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe – Polish Peasant Party and Stronnictwo Pracy – Labour Alliance). In course of the resettlement, the authorities made the Orthodox Chełmsko- Podlaska Diocese, Greek Catholic Przemyska Diocese and the Ukrainian schools close down. In consequence of the national policy implemented by the authorities in the period of 1944–1946, the south-eastern Poland gradually lost its traditional status of a multi-national, multi-cultural, and multi-religious borderland. The ultimate status of the territory was decided by the „Wisła” action, executed in 1947.

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